U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to Visit Minneapolis for Series of Events Highlighting Education Reform Efforts

On Tuesday, July 16, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will travel to Minneapolis, Minn., for a series of events, including a town hall with Governor Mark Dayton on the importance of investing in high-quality early learning programs.

At 9:00 AM CDT, Secretary Duncan will tour a classroom at Pond Early Childhood Center. Then, at 9:30 AM CDT, the Secretary will participate in a town hall discussion at Kennedy High School on the importance of investing in high-quality early learning programs. The Secretary will be joined by local leaders, including Governor Dayton. The town hall discussion will be followed by a press conference at approximately 10:40 AM CDT.

This event is part of a series of events that Secretary Duncan has hosted across the country to draw attention to President Obama's proposal to dramatically expand funding for high-quality early learning programs. The President, in an effort to help all children begin school on a level playing field, put forward in his 2014 budget request an historic new investment in early learning that would make preschool available to all 4-year-olds from low- to moderate-income families; expand evidence-based home-visiting services for vulnerable families and children; and support quality improvements through a new Early Head Start-Child Care partnership.

This year, Governor Dayton signed a new state budget into law that invests an additional $600 million in preK-12 education. That new investment includes nearly $200 million for early learning, which will help tens of thousands more Minnesota kids attend high quality childcare, preschool, and all-day Kindergarten.

Later in the day, Secretary Duncan will participate in a question-and-answer session at the National Network of State Teachers of the Year Conference. The Secretary will discuss the need to strengthen the teaching profession and better support teachers in implementing college and career-ready standards.